Kyzyl: Museums, Art and Tuvan Culture

• Arat Square is in the centre of Kyzyl, the capital of the Republic of Tuva.
• The National Museum displays more than 300 examples of Tuvan silver and applied art from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Around 380 drawings by the artist are held at the Nadya Rusheva Museum; visits are by prior appointment only.
• The Museum of the History of Political Repressions in Tuva is located in Kyzyl in a building with a history dating back to the 1930s.

The Buddhist prayer wheel “Mani-Kh୦rtu” stands in Arat Square. Other defining features of the square include an ensemble of five fountains created in 1984. Local stonemasons designed it in the traditional Tuvan style, using agalmatolite and folk motifs. The square thus brings together a religious and cultural landmark and an ensemble whose materials and design reflect Tuvan craftsmanship.

Another sculpture in Kyzyl is the bronze group “Tsarskaya Okhota” (“The Tsar’s Hunt”). Set on a broad, two-tier stone pedestal, it depicts a Eurasian man and woman hunting with falcons on horseback. The figures and pedestal make the work a vivid example of how a sculpture combines its subject matter with its material.

The National Museum of the Republic of Tuva offers several different ways to explore art and history. Its unique collection of Tuvan silver and applied art comprises more than 300 objects from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. An exhibition of more than 200 small sculptures showcases works made from agalmatolite, bronze, bone and horn; it also features Tuvan bronze chess sets. Another exhibition explores traditional Tuvan culture from the late 19th to the early 20th century.

The museum also covers natural history: the exhibition “Taiga: In Unity with Nature” presents the physical and geographical characteristics of Tuva’s taiga ecosystem and its varied landscapes. Art, traditional culture and a natural-geographical perspective are thus presented side by side. Check which exhibitions are available during your visit.

The Nadya Rusheva Museum is dedicated to the artist, regarded as one of the most outstanding artists of the Soviet era. Around 380 of her drawings are held there; visitors can also see illustrations for works by Pushkin, Bulgakov and Tolstoy. The museum is at 7 Lenina Street and is a branch of the Aldan-Maadyr National Museum of the Republic of Tuva. Visits are by prior appointment only, so arrange your visit in advance.

The Museum of the History of Political Repressions in Tuva is located in the building that housed the NKVD special commandant’s office of the Tuvan People’s Republic in the 1930s. It opened on 16 February 1994. The exhibition includes photographs, documents and personal belongings of people who were persecuted, as well as memoirs and letters from Gulag prisoners. It also features a reconstruction of an investigator’s office and part of a cell for political prisoners.

Every year on 30 October, the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Political Repression, the museum organises a wreath-laying ceremony at the “Nepokorenny” monument. The sculptor Tovarishchtai Ondar created the monument in 1996. If you are planning your trip around this commemorative day, check the latest dates. The museum’s listed opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm; confirm that these hours are still in effect before visiting.

The National Music and Drama Theatre of the Republic of Tuva is also part of Kyzyl’s institutional cultural history. Founded in 1936, it is named after Tuvan actor and playwright Viktor Shogzhapovich Kok-ool, an Honoured Artist of the RSFSR.

The Centre for the Development of Traditional Tuvan Culture and Arts and Crafts offers classes for children and adults throughout the year. These include blacksmithing, wood and stone carving, making traditional musical instruments and sewing national clothing. The classes offer a different way to engage with the culture than the exhibition spaces: the focus here is on various craft techniques. Check which classes are currently running before visiting.

Discover more destinations: Turan.

What art does the National Museum of the Republic of Tuva display?

The exhibitions include Tuvan silver and applied art, more than 200 small sculptures made from agalmatolite, bronze, bone and horn, and bronze chess sets. There is also an exhibition on traditional Tuvan culture.

Can I visit the Nadya Rusheva Museum without an appointment?

No. Visits are by prior appointment only. Check the current arrangements before planning your visit.

What are the opening hours of the Museum of the History of Political Repressions?

The listed opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. As these hours do not guarantee current public access, confirm them before visiting.

For the broader travel overview: Republic of Tuva.